Residents of Chapel Hill North Carolina will know that having a working air conditioner in their home, is just as important as washing your hands. With temperatures dropping to 10° Fahrenheit during winter and reaching a high of 92° Fahrenheit during summer, you’re going to need something to keep your warm or cool.
When your air conditioning system are showing any of the following problems, then it’s time to find a repairman:
- It makes strange squeaky or clanking noises
- The system creates a humid environment inside the room
- It releases unpleasant smells
- It is not as energy efficient as it used to be
- It blows out hot air instead of cool
- It has a slow and weakened air flow
If you don’t own an air conditioning system yet, learn more about AC benefits here. Be aware of the above-mentioned signs of problems to let you know when you need to hire a repair contractor.
There are loads of AC repair contractors in and around Chapel Hill, how do you decide which contractors to choose? Here are a few tips and tricks of finding the perfect fit.
CHECK FOR LICENSING AND CERTIFICATIONS
Accredited contractors will have the necessary licensing needed to work on HVAC systems. These licensing regulations are set up by each state’s governing bodies. Without the proper licensing, contractors aren’t allowed to do repairs and maintenance on AC systems.
In most cases, these professionals need to have at least 5 years’ experience in the field as well as hold a level of insurance and bonding. There are a few organizations that provide official certifications. As a client you can ask to see the certification provided by an accredited organization like NATE (North American Technician Excellence) or the National Comfort Institute of air balancing.
EXPERIENCE
Don’t underestimate the importance of experience in the field of AC repairs. There are many small tell-tale signs that technicians should be aware of when inspecting your unit. Spotting the problems come with experience.
It might be that a much more experienced contractor together with a trainee comes to your home for an initial evaluation. You can ask whether the trainee will be repairing your system alone, or if they will be guided by the more experienced technician.
Contractors with years of experience will have a list of successfully completed jobs, that they can use as references. Hiring someone without the necessary experience, might just cost you even more damage in the future.
If you are struggling to find an experienced contractor, you can click here for some great suggestions in your area.
OFFER AN ON-SITE EVALUATION
All experienced contractors should offer a free on-site evaluation (or sometimes a small visit fee) before giving you an estimate repair costs. Anyone who demands a payment before they’ve even been at your house, might be a bit dodgy.
It’s important that the technicians go over all aspects of the property where the air conditioning system is installed in. By looking at the unit and all external factors such as window placement and size of the room, they’ll be able to find a fitting solution to the problem.
CHECK FOR SPECIAL OFFERS
The industry of AC systems repairs and installations can be extremely competitive. Not only competitive, but also expensive. Consider hiring a repair contractor that provides a series of special offers.
Perhaps your HVAC system is so old that it’s not energy-efficient anymore or it’s constantly breaking down. The right contractor might offer you a special on a completely new unit and give you a discount on installation.
Opt for a contractor that won’t add hidden costs and unnecessary payments. It’s important that the company also keeps in mind your budget for the project, without breaking the bank.
There are contract options available, where you can pay for a monthly or quarterly check-in. This way, you’ll be able to build a report with the company and have them on-call whenever there’s an AC emergency.
You can shop around a bit to compare prices and offers. Keep in mind that it’s not worth compromising quality of the service and equipment over a much cheaper price. Sometimes you will get what you pay for.
TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT
Experienced technicians will definitely have the right tools and equipment for the job. You’ll notice at the initial home evaluation whether the contractor is experienced or not.
They typically use a series of specialized tools that can’t be found at any old hardware store. Tools like vacuum pumps, mobile HVAC software, reciprocating saw blade, drills, pipe wrenches, pliers, tin snips and many more.
Do keep this in mind before hiring.
Finding the best AC repair contractor in Chapel Hill NC won’t be that difficult if you consider the above-mentioned key factors.
